Kohima: Lawmakers from Assam and Nagaland are pushing to create a joint peace committee for the Disputed Area Belt. Sarupathar MLA Biswajit Phukan and Bhandari MLA Achumbemo Kikon spearheaded the plan. The group aims to bridge gaps between Golaghat and Wokha residents. It will include civil society representatives and local border magistrates. They met on September 19 at a friendship event in Hatidubi.
The committee seeks to settle friction without legal battles. Phukan insisted the group focus on local harmony. "If any dispute arises, this committee will attempt to resolve that dispute," he said. He stressed that the Supreme Court still handles the actual territory row. Regular people ignore the border line to survive. Poor families cannot simply pack up and leave.
The leaders have big plans for the region. They intend to stage a summit between Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio. A new express road between Chungajan and Dimapur should cut airport travel time to 15 minutes. Assam also plans to distribute 5 lakh tissue-cultured bamboo saplings for the Numaligarh Refinery, including 1 lakh free units for Naga residents. Phukan dismissed fears that planting trees equates to land theft. He labeled the drive a purely environmental move. Both states aim to replace old tensions with new economic progress.
Updated at 20th September 2026 at 9:49am
The initiative includes specific plans to host ongoing cultural exchanges involving sports, literature, and youth-focused festivals. Both MLAs officially signed a statement pledging to stop the spread of misinformation and activities that threaten public order in the border zone. They also agreed to build a formal framework for how the peace committee will operate, with guidelines to be drafted during its official formation.
The event at Hatidubi served a dual purpose: it functioned as a peace summit and a memorial for the cultural icon Zubeen Garg on his first death anniversary. The leaders agreed to support future programs that honor his legacy and his message of unity across the region.
The joint statement explicitly clarifies that these local peace efforts do not change the official legal standing or territorial claims held by either the Assam or Nagaland governments. Any economic activity promoted by the committee must remain lawful and environmentally responsible.
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